The Huntress
by ClairetheBard
Summary: Newly arrived at court, Lady Isabella Hunsdon quickly becomes entangled in the lives of the bewitching Anne Boleyn, the charismatic King Henry and the courageous Queen Katherine.
1. Part 1

My name is Isabella Henrietta Catherine Hunsdon and I am a ward of King Henry the Eighth and his Queen Catherine of Aragon.

My Father, Lord Henry Hunsdon, a man of great wealth and power, died of the sweating sickness when I was seven and my poor Mother, Lady Isabella de Silva, a lady in waiting and close friend of the Queen died bringing me into this world.

Out of the goodness of their hearts they have taken me into their home and these past seven years educated and raised me alongside their only surviving child her Royal Highness, the Princess Mary.

But now as a girl of fourteen, a woman, and sole inheritor of all my Father's money and many vast estates throughout England and beyond I am one of the most powerful and richest women in all England.

A Princess of England in all but name.

The People's Princess.

This is my story.

XXXXX

I had just returned to court after spending a month visiting Mary at Ludlow Castle and was taking a walk around the beautiful gardens of Hampton Court Palace, a favourite residence of King Henry the Eighth when I saw the King himself kissing the lips of a beautiful dark haired woman before noticing me and telling her to go.

'My dear Bella!' He said happily walking over to me and sweeping me into his arms in an affectionate embrace before realising me.

'Your Majesty.' I answer curtseying respectfully to him for no more then a moment before he takes one of my hands in his own and helps me to my feet once more.

'Who was that?' I ask my curiosity aroused as he glances back behind him distractedly as we now begin to walk together to an unknown and hidden part of the garden where a private conversation could not be seen or heard by anyone.

'Just a friend.' He answers with a small smile upon his lips then glares at me for having the audacity to ask him such a question.

'I don't kiss my friends that way.' I say in all innocence and watch his face change to one of amusement.

'Maybe you should. I find it sometimes brings great advantages.' He says laughing heartedly at his own little joke and I laugh politely back not understanding what he means by it.

'All my friends at the court are women. It would be inappropriate.' I answer once again in all innocence and he laughs heartedly once more.

'Inappropriate?' He echoes and I too laugh realizing that he was never used to hearing that word being a King and before that a Princess and having his every whim catered for by all those around him.

'I know. Use of the word makes me sound like a pure bred Nun.' I admit mirthfully but I can see that his mood has turned serious once more.

'And are you...? Still pure?' He suddenly snaps at me and I am momentarily taken aback by his sudden burst of temper at me.

'Of course your Majesty. Did I not promise you that I would give myself to no man before marriage?' I say reassuringly and waited as the anger quickly drained from his face as if it had never existed.

'I'm sorry Bella. Forgive me. I do know that you are innocent and pure.' He said sadly and i watched with surprise as his eyes filled with tears.

'Your Majesty?' I ask concerned as he begins to weep and put my arms around him to comfort him.

XXXXX

For a long while the Master of all England cries in the arms of his young ward and then departs as if nothing ever happened.

This leaves her alone to wonder what breaks his heart so and being clever, as she was, it does not take her long to work out the answer.

A son.

He needs a son to continue the Tudor line.

Suddenly the wind chills her to the bone and a horrible feeling that she cannot escape fills her heart shaking her to the very core of her being.

There was malice in the air and a wicked form of change approaching but what form it would take she didn't know.

Only that she would have to be on her guard.

For the sake of the King.

For the sake of Queen Catherine and Princess Mary.

Finally for her own sake.

The Devil himself was banging at their door trying to come in...


	2. Part 2

Later that same day I am summoned to the Queen's chambers to resume my duties as a Lady in Waiting and while I am awaiting her to greet me I fight hard to stop remembering the way her husband, the King, had cried upon me not more then a few hours before.

Her ladies assemble before me first, my eyes locking with the beautiful dark haired woman I had seen the King with in the garden as she is the last to enter the room before Queen Katherine herself appears before me.

They all curtsey deeply before they go on about their business and I follow their example with my head respectfully bowed until I am commanded to look up.

'Lady Hunsdon.' She says sternly with great authority and I get the feeling that she all ready knows what had happened in the gardens no more then a few hours ago.

'Your Majesty.' I say nervously, too ashamed to even look up at her when i suddenly feel her hand on mine and find myself pulled into a warm loving embrace.

'My sweet Isabella. Oh how I've missed you so.' She whispers in Spanish into my ear, before moving back to look at me appreciatively and embracing me once more.

I motion to the nearest servant to bring forth a few small gifts and a letter I had brought with me all the way from Ludlow under strict instructions to show no one else, not even the King himself.

'Your daughter, her Royal Highness, the Princess Mary, sends her love and wishes you continued good health and happiness. I am also asked to give you a letter written in her own hand and tell you on her behalf that she is now happily settled at Ludlow Castle, her new permanent residence.' I say taking the gifts from the servant and presenting them to her each, in turn before I give her the letter.

'I'm glad to hear it.' She says happily before opening up the letter and beginning to read it's contents.

'Do wish me to leave you, your Majesty?' I ask as her face suddenly grows sad and her eyes fill with tears.

'No, stay. Pick up the lute and play me something cheerful...As you used to.' She answers her voice breaking with emotion, pointing towards the instrument in the far corner and turns her back from me to look out of a window near by.

I go to pick it up and begin to play a sweet little melody I'd written as a child that had always pleased her.

At the sound of her crying I begin to hum along to the melody, if she had been a normal woman I would have put down the lute and held her but this was a Queen and such things were not done unless an invitation was offered.

XXXXX

Eventually, I move into the next room where her ladies in waiting are busy going about with their duties and continue to play.

No one looks at me or acknowledges I am there so I take a seat in the corner of the room still playing the lute and watch them work.

Suddenly, I am aware that I'm being watched and glance to the opposite doorway where my eyes intensely meet those of the beautiful dark haired woman I had seen the King kissing in the garden until she shyly blushes and looks away.

Boldly I approach and follow her as she retreats into the next room and close the door behind me so we are not disturbed.

'Why do you, Anne Boleyn, a commoner, think you are worthy to share kisses with the King of England?' I say coldly and she turns to me momentarily startled then smiles confidently.

'I am worthy because the King wills it so. He loves me.'

'The King loves his Queen. Not you.' I counter and see a brief flash of anger in her eyes.

'What does that matter to you?'

'It matters to me because I am loyal to the Queen.'

'And I am not?'

'You appear to be loyal to yourself and no one else.'

'In that way we are alike then. You and I.'

'I'm nothing like you.'

'No?' Anne says leaning in, her lips almost touching mine. 'Then why do they call you Princess Mary's right hand?'

'I am merely her companion. Nothing more.' I say in honest truth but I blush hard at the implications of what Anne means and she smiles confidently, taking it for acceptance of the fact.

That said, she kisses me hard then leaves as a maid chooses this moment to enter and disturb us.

I am left behind, confused.

xxxxx

Later that day I am riding alone, my hair unbound, free, out in the countryside when who should cross my path again but Anne Boleyn out riding with her brother, George who block my path so I can go no further.

'We meet again.' Anne says with a wolfish grin.

'Indeed.' I say impatiently wanting to get by.

She and George suddenly exchange a look and he turns and rides away without looking back.

I go to ride by but she then puts her own horse in my way.

'We have unfinished business, you and I.' She says confidently and eyes me as if I am some sweetened dessert she would rather like to eat.

'I have nothing to say to you. Now let me pass.'

'Not until you pay the toll.'

'Toll?'

She draws her horse up near mine and places a hand beneath my dress.

I gasp as her hand reaches the most secret part of me and I close my eyes as the most delicious sensations begin to overwhelm my senses.

'Please...Don't...' Is all I manage to say as the pleasure suddenly becomes too great to bare and I find myself wantonly crying out.

When it is over I open my eyes and see Anne smiling triumphantly.

I was her slave now.


End file.
